A Turkish student of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University lost his P8,000 to downtown pickpockets yesterday.

Ismail Kulap, 21, single, and two other Turkish were walking along Mercado Extension when he sensed someone opened the zipper of his sling bag.

Kulap told the police that he saw a woman and a young man, who was later identified as Nasser Jabakar, running away.

Kulap said the pickpockets took his P8,000 and a credit card.Jabakar was arrested while the woman eluded arrest.

At the police station, Jabakar denied involvement in the pickpocket.He said he tried to chase the woman when he was collared by the police.Kulap’s credit card was recovered along the street after the woman threw it while she was running.Police conducted a follow-up operation but the woman was nowhere to be found.

Kulap, who is a second college student at ADZU, said that it was his second time to have been victimized by pickpockets since he came to Zamboaanga. — Dan Toribio Jr.